HIST 1114

FWS: Diasporic Fauna: Histories of Overseas Animals

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2015-2016.

From Zheng He's return to China in 1415 with giraffes to exhibitions of orangutans in Europe in the 1920s, t spectacle of "exotic" species in foreign lands has shaped human imaginings. In this writing seminar, we'll explore recent efforts to historicize changing relationships between human beings and exotic wildlife. We'll grapple with key questions in environmental history and animal studies: What role have foreign animals play in the human imagination throughout history? How have certain species, and even certain individual animals raised considerations of political, socio-cultural, and scientific problems? What does the spectacle of foreign wildlife in zoos and circuses reveal about who we are? Students will hone their writing skills through engagement with primary and secondary sources, theories of animal-human relationships, and literature.

When Offered Fall.

Satisfies Requirement First-Year Writing Seminar.

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